Swimmers Club

Factfile

Who: Halo MaudWhere: Paris, FranceWhat: Singer-songwriter

How long have you been playing and/or writing music?

I started playing music when I was a child, on my own, as everybody in my family does, trying things more or less randomly on the piano. But I also took music theory courses for a few years. Then my sister showed me three first guitar chords that I quickly used to write my first songs. I was around 14.

Are you signed to any label or labels or are you putting out the records yourself?

I am now working with Michel Records for Canada, and with Heavenly Recordings for the rest of the world, both amazing music lovers!

Has the city where you live had any influence on your music?

Not really the city I am living in now, but the place I grew up, in Auvergne (central France) with mountains and forest landscapes, had a huge influence on what I like to see and hear, and so on what I’m creating myself. I guess it is mainly a matter of relief.

What are you working on at the moment?

Lately I have been working on my next music video (with filmmakers’ collective Deezooit), and more generally on the representation of my music through images. I don’t really think about what I put in a song when I’m writing it, it comes naturally. But when you decide to illustrate a track, you have to capture the essence of it, and try to transcribe it in images that bring the right emotions. This is such an interesting exercise, but also pretty sensitive.

How would you describe your music in three words?

Swaying, fuzzy, melancholic

How important is the look or aesthetic of your record covers and the style of how you present yourself generally to you?

I guess I’ve started to answer above, and this is true for artworks as well. I would add that the main difficulty is to accept that you cannot put everything that you are in one picture. You have to choose, not really a part of yourself, but at least a moment. Anyway, the way you present yourself is of course essential, and not only now that we are living in the Instagram era, but because the way you do it feeds the message you’re trying to bring.

What new stuff have you heard or read or seen lately? Any favourite new bands/musicians, books or artists that we might not know about who we should check out?

Last summer I read Giono’s ‘Que ma Joie Demeure’ (that might be translated as “joy of man’s desiring”) and that became the book of my life. Magical, poetic, deep, sensual. These days I’m reading Dickens’ “David Copperfield”, and I am also a lot into Rilke. Nothing new then but all of them being monuments.

In music there is this band Palm, especially their song Dog Milk, that I’m obsessed with. L’Rain as well – listen to the song ‘Heavy (But Not In Wait)’.

Further Info:

Halo Maud’s debut EP ‘Du pouvoir’ was released two days ago on Heavenly Recordings.